English Department

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Why English?

This is the ideal major for students who love to read and write, use their imaginations, and engage in ideas about language, literature, and culture. Our students transform what they discover in the classroom and put it into practice in their careers.

Why English at Westfield?

English majors at Westfield can focus on writing, literature, or English education and have the opportunity to take introductory literature and writing courses as well as a range of specialized upper-level seminars and writing workshops. We offer small class sizes, dedicated full-time faculty, a rigorous curriculum, and opportunities for students to participate in internships, an active English honor society, and the production of a literary magazine and a campus newspaper. Our students enjoy close relationships with faculty members and other students in the department. Indeed, the department places a high value on community and hosts many social gatherings and events, including poetry readings, guest lectures, and film screenings.

Department Spotlight

Our English majors have regular opportunities to travel to national conferences, including the Sigma Tau Delta Convention (for the national honor society for English majors), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP); they also attend workshops offered by the Western Massachusetts Writing Project (WMWP). At these meetings, students present their research and creative work and have opportunities to hear directly from leading scholars and writers.

Not only do students participate in conferences and workshops, but they also publish their work. One hallmark of our writing concentration, in particular, is that we encourage our undergraduates to publish their poetry, fiction, and non-fiction in online and print publications. Two members of the class of 2017 have even had poetry chapbooks accepted for publication.